


A Cuppa Courage

by juliusschmidt



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Bisexual Character, Coming Out, First Dates, Heteronormativity, M/M, Pansexual Character, basically harry isn't attracted to people based on their gender, or if you prefer - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-06
Updated: 2015-09-06
Packaged: 2018-04-18 20:55:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4720136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juliusschmidt/pseuds/juliusschmidt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam kicks Harry's shin, picking up another cup to fill. “He seems like he’d be a good catch, if you liked guys, I mean.” </p><p><i>I do like guys</i>, Harry does not say, even though he’d like to shout it at the top of his lungs. <i>I DO LIKE GUYS</i>. </p><p> </p><p>[a fluffy lil' fall coffee shop coming out au.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Cuppa Courage

**Author's Note:**

  * For [banannahlou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/banannahlou/gifts).



> You asked for a Coming Out fic. I'm not sure this is what you had in mind, but it's what I wrote, so. 
> 
> **Warning:** this contains some minor homophobia, internalized homophobia, misogyny, transphobia, and, of course, heteronormativity, but I did not tag most of this because in the context of coming out fics, it’s really very easy and gentle and sweet.
> 
> ty to my wonderful, awesome beta melanie, who had this ready in the nick of time.

“Look who it is,” Liam says, jerking his chin toward the door.

It’s the regular with the blue eyes and beautiful smile. Louis.

Harry runs a hand through his hair, checking his reflection in the shiny aluminum of the espresso machine before looking up to take him in more fully.

He walks up to the register with a swagger. He’s wearing a maroon boatneck t-shirt that shows off his collarbones and the top of what looks to Harry like a fantastic chest piece. Harry lets his eyes linger for a moment. He can always say he was trying to figure out what the inked words say.

He doesn’t think he’ll need to explain himself, though. Louis has a limp wrist and a blue equal sign stuck on his wallet, so Harry thinks he might, you know, like the attention.

He’s also ‘jokingly’ asked for Harry’s number the last three times he’s been in.

“Hazza!” Louis exclaims.

“My name is ‘Harry.’ Why can’t you remember that? I manage to remember yours, Louis,” Harry says, flashing him a bright smile.

“Harold, was it?” Louis says pulling a Starbucks card out of his battered brown wallet.

“Read the tag,” Harry tells him, pointing to his chest.

Louis leans in and places his finger right next to Harry’s on the white plastic. He’s close enough for Harry to smell his spicy cologne, at least, Harry thinks it’s cologne. He’d smelled a bunch of deodorants last week at the drugstore in search of the scent to no avail.

“I’ve forgotten how to read,” Louis says, looking up into Harry’s eyes and shaking his head.

Harry crosses his arms over his chest. “You haven’t.”

“I have! You have to help me, Harriet. What drink should I get? I can’t tell what’s on special,” Louis insists.

Harry bites his lip. He’s got this one. “Pumpkin Spice Latte.”

“No,” Louis says, before Harry’s even finished saying the words.

“Come on,” Harry says. “You have to try it. You promised.”

The man in line behind Louis clears his throat. Harry wants to believe that he’s in agreement with Harry: Louis _needs_ to give this particular seasonal drink a try. However, he’s probably just impatient for his morning dose of caffeine.

“I’ll buy it for you,” Harry says. “Along with whatever you actually want.”  He can give up his shift drink just this once, to prove a point.

“I can’t handle that much caffeine. My boss would kill me,” Louis tells him.

“Then just let me buy you the latte,” Harry replies, already keying in his code.

Louis folds his hands behind his head, surveying the menu again, and his shirt rides up over his stomach. “Okay,” he finally agrees.

Still, Louis opens his wallet again.

“Let me get it. You don’t even know if you’ll like it.” Harry’s pressed the sale button. He can’t take Louis’ money, now.  “I’ve got it. Put your money away.”

Louis tilts his head as he proceeds to take a tenner out of his wallet and drop it in the tip jar.

“You don’t have to do that,” Harry says, marking Louis’ name onto a cup. “I said, I’ve got it.”

“I want to,” Louis winks and Harry’s heart flutters.

This isn’t just banter between bros. There’s usually less touching and giggling. Also, Louis is almost certainly into dudes. And Harry is a dude.

(Who is also into dudes, sometimes.)

Louis slips a small square of paper out of his wallet and over the counter. Tapping what appears to be a business card, he says, “Text me.”

Yeah, he totally likes Harry.

Harry pockets the card. “Maybe I will. Maybe I won’t,” he says, shrugging. “You can’t even remember my name.”

“I try, Haroldo! I do try,” Louis says, moving toward the other end of the bar where Liam is making his drink.

“Not hard enough,” Harry says, flashing him one last smile.

When he’s gone, Liam says, “He wants you.”

Harry straightens his shoulders and raises an eyebrow at Liam. “Of course he does. Who wouldn’t?”

Liam kicks his shin, picking up another cup to fill. “He seems like he’d be a good catch, if you liked guys, I mean.”

 _I do like guys_ , Harry does not say, even though he’d like to shout it at the top of his lungs. _I DO LIKE GUYS._

He’d only realized a few months back. Or, rather, he’d always sort of known that he was attracted to who he was attracted to, regardless of gender, but it had only really become _a thing_ he wanted to, like, _act on_ very recently.

Not a small bit because of Louis Flirty-Eyes Great-Ass Tomlinson.

Louis Tomlinson.

Now he has a full name.

“Why’d he give you his card, anyway?” Liam asks. Harry thinks he sounds jealous, as he should be. “Did he think you’d be interested?”

Harry fingers the outline of the card in his pocket. Softly and very deliberately, he replies, “Maybe I am interested.”

His heartbeat races and he can’t look at Liam.

It’s a lie. There’s no ‘maybe’ about it. Harry’s _very_ interested. In Louis, a dude.

Liam chuckles. Then, more seriously, he says, “Very funny. Just don’t, like, lead him on or whatever. He probably has no idea that you flirt with literally every single customer.”

Harry lets go of the card and sighs, not sure whether to feel disappointed or relieved.

~

_This is Harry from Starbucks._

**_glad you texted_**

**_that drink was shit_**

**_you owe me another_**

_Alright. What’s oopshimerch.com? The url didn’t take me anywhere._

**_i’m working on it. starting my own business._**

_you’re misleading people with that card_

**_you’re misleading people with that shit drink_**

 

 

Harry laughs and Gemma kicks him from the other side of the couch.  

“You promised you’d watch this latest season of Pretty Little Liars with me. No one else will. _Pay attention._ ”

Harry looks up from his phone and says, as emphatically as possible, “This is important.”

Gemma pauses the show and grabs for his phone. “Oh my god, it’s a girl! My baby brother has lady in his life!”

Flushing, Harry lets her take the phone from him. He could use a little advice from his older sister. She’s always been very successful at picking up dudes, after all.

“ _Louis_ ,” she reads and then shoves the phone back him. “Important, my ass. Text your friend _after_ we’re done.”

He’s about to click the screen off when another text pings through. And then another and another and another.

 

**_so when can you pay me back for that disgusting concoction?_ **

**_i’m serious about this._ **

**_i put a lot of money in that tip jar and i am not a rich man._ **

**_harry._ **

 

Harry looks up to see Gemma watching him with her hands crossed over her chest 

He bites his lip. He wants her opinion so badly. Is this a date? Is Louis asking him on a date? Or does he just want him to pay him back for the coffee?

No, that’s stupid.

Of course, it’s a date. But Harry’s never been on a date with a total stranger. Louis is not even a friend of a friend. Harry’s never been on a date with a _dude,_ either. And Louis is definitely a dude.

When you’re both dudes, are you both supposed bring flowers? Who’s supposed to pick who up?

Gemma sighs, “What is it?”

Harry shakes his head and quickly texts Louis back.

_Tomorrow night?_

He could probably tell Gemma.

Probably.  

But, it’s just, like, weird. Or something.

**~**

The movie Louis suggests is a classic romantic comedy with typically terrible reviews.

Harry’s wanted to see it for ages. But he wonders, will they look very gay? Two dudes going to a chick flick on a Friday night?

He thinks so. People will know. Without him telling them. Which is good, he thinks, _nice_.

They meet outside the theater and walk up to the counter together. The ticket taker pulls out one ticket and quotes him the price.

“No, two please,” Louis tells her. _He’s paying for my ticket,_ Harry thinks giddily. ‘

The ticket taker smirks as she pulls the second ticket. “What bet did you boys lose? Need me to take a picture for you?”

 _We’re on date_ , Harry wants to say. Because they are and they didn’t lose any bets, quite the opposite.

He wonders if Louis will say something. He seems feisty, the type to defend himself.

But he doesn’t; instead, he just laughs wryly, as if the woman has indeed made a clever joke.

“Heeey,” Harry says. They both look at him. Louis eyes are so blue and Harry’s going to get to look at them all night if he doesn’t fuck up. All night. If he doesn’t fuck up.

He says, “I heard the movie was very sweet.”

The ticket taker rolls her eyes. “I suppose, if you like that sort of thing.”

Harry lifts his chin. “I _do_ like that sort of thing.” He feels like he’s just made a very bold statement.

“Cool,” the woman replies, clearly not impressed. “Next?”

Louis guides him away with a hand on the small of his back and Harry grins to himself. Louis’ impressed with him, at least, and that’s what really matters.  

~

Louis suggests they eat at a cheap little diner near the theater. It’s mostly empty when they arrive and the waitress shouts from the behind the counter that they’re welcome to seat themselves.

Louis leads him to a little booth and hands him a menu from where it’s stuck behind the napkin holder.

Harry unfolds it in front of him. “I should order for us, like the guy did in the movie,” Harry tells him.

Louis puts his elbows on the table and places his chin in his hands. “And tell me, how did that work out for him?”

He’d ordered something that had sent the female lead into anaphylactic shock. But they’d ended up kissing for the first time in the emergency room, so…

“Are you allergic to anything?” Harry asks, eyes scanning the menu.

“I let you order my drink the other day and that did not turn out well. You don’t have an instinct for my taste.”

“Yet,” Harry corrects, meeting his eyes. “I need to practice, to learn.”

Louis raises an eyebrow.

Harry pouts.

“Hey. Didn’t you have to use the toilet at the theater?” Louis presses.

This is not a first date question. It’s very rude, but it’s also very true. Harry’d tried earlier, running out as the credits had begun to roll and the line had been too long, so Harry decides to allow it this time.

“Yeah, be right back,” he tells Louis.

In the toilet, Harry takes his phone out of his pocket and sets it on the sink and, as he does so, he sees that he has three missed calls from Gemma.

He’d better text, in case it’s an emergency. (He’s sure it’s not.)

 

 _What’s going on?_  

**_chloe ditched. looking for a dinner buddy._**

 

He doesn’t answer. He’s _on a date._  

As he walks back to his seat he watches Louis, now sitting cross legged on the bench, sip a coke through a straw, his cheeks hollow.

Harry takes a breath because that sexy man, that’s his date.

Louis pushes the straw away with his tongue and licks his lips. “Good piss?” he asks.

Harry huffs. “You can’t ask me that."

“Why not? I’m genuinely curious. Did you have a good piss? Do you feel very relieved?” Louis insists.

“We’re on a _first date,_ ” Harry replies. “You can’t ask someone about their piss on a first date!”

The waitress sitting behind the counter laughs and Harry jerks back. He’d spoken very loudly. He hadn’t meant to announce that they were _on a date_ to the whole world.

“I just did, didn’t I?” Louis says. “I wanted to express my concern for your well-being. Show you how empathetic I am.”

He doesn’t seem to notice or care that they’ve been outed. Harry relaxes, a little, leaning forward to murmur, “You’ve already proved that, haven’t you?”

Louis sips his coke and then says, “Have I?”

He sounds pleased with himself, so Harry chuckles. “Yeah, when you were crying earlier. When that puppy in the film-”

“Okay, enough,” Louis interrupts. “That was a very emotional scene.”

Harry bites his lip and they’re quiet for a minute or two, watching each other.

“Here you go,” the waitress says, ending the moment and setting down two sandwiches, one in front of Harry and the other before Louis.

To Harry, she says, “Let me know if that’s got enough tomato for you.” She nods at Louis, “He said it’s your favourite.”

She winks at him before walking back to the counter.

“I didn’t even-” He stops. Louis’d ordered for him, he realizes. Roast beef with extra tomatoes, which he does like. “How did you…?”

Louis shrugs. “I’m very intuitive.”

“I guess so,” Harry agrees, smiling to himself as he tucks in.

Later, after they’ve finished their meals and run through a thorough list of all the best sappy moments in the film, the waitress comes back to the table to check in. With another wink at Harry, she hands Louis the check, but Harry snatches it out of his hands. “My turn,” he says. “You paid for the film.”

Louis purses his lips puts his hand out palm up. “Give it back. I asked you out.”

Harry places it on the table, but keeps a hand over it while he digs his card out of his wallet. “I texted you first.”

Louis dances his fingers across the table and then tries to ply the check from underneath Harry’s palm. “Only because I gave you my number after you refused to give me yours.”

Harry keeps a firm grasp on the check all the way to the register, even as Louis grabs and picks at it. “You said it yourself. You’re not a wealthy man.”

Louis glares at him. “Neither are you.”

“You can pay next time,” Harry tells him, as they exit the diner.

“Next time?” Louis asks.

Harry nods. “After we go to the art museum.”

Louis takes a step closer and narrows his eyes. “What makes you think,” he begins and then stops.

Harry’s heart drops all the way down to his toes. Was he reading the situation wrong? He thought things were going well. He thought Louis’d want to go out again.

Maybe things are different with dudes. Maybe there’s a sort of one and done kind of deal.

Harry really, really does not want that.

“What makes you think,” Louis starts again. “That I’m the type of person to enjoy _art_.”

Harry laughs, relieved. “Everyone can enjoy art, Louis.”

Louis begins to walk toward the bus stop. “I guess you’ll have to prove it, then.”

The air has cooled off and Harry wishes he’d brought a jacket. He rubs his hands together and says, “I’ve never been on a date with anyone like you before.”

“I should hope not. One of a kind, I am,” Louis blusters, reaching to take one of Harry’s freezing hands in his own.

“No, I mean. I’ve never been on a date with a guy before,” Harry admits, looking down at their joined hands.

“Oh, I see,” Louis voice falters. “Do you... Do people...” Louis stops.

“Harry, look at me.” Harry looks up and meets his eyes. He’s smiling and his gaze is very soft, kind. Then, in almost a whisper, he asks,“Is this going to be a secret, then?”

Harry shakes his head. “I don’t want it to be.” And then, ducking again, he says, “I like you."

Louis steps closer and squeezes Harry’s hand. “I like you, too.”

Their eyes meet and, feeling bold, Harry tilts his head down and presses their mouths together in a gentle kiss. Louis’ lips are soft and his beard is scratchy and his nose is very, very cold.

They’re both smiling when Harry pulls back.

But then, Louis shakes his head and clicks his tongue. “What kind of man do you take me for? This our _first_ date. You’re moving a little quickly, don’t you think?”

Harry laughs and lifts Louis’ fingers to his lips to press another kiss to his knuckles. “I bet I could convince you to move even faster.”

“You definitely could,” Louis says and behind him, Harry catches sight of the bus’s bright headlights.

“If I wanted to,” Harry adds.

The bus rolls to halt beside them, beeping and groaning as the doors open and the stairs lower.

“This is me,” Louis tells him, nodding. “Goodnight.”

He leans in to peck Harry on the cheek. Into his ear, he says, “Until next time.”

~

As soon as he steps into his flat, his phone buzzes. It’s Gemma again.

“What?”

“You never answered my texts.”

“I was on a date, Gem,” he replies. Then, “Fuck.”

She’s going to ask with whom and then bug him till he tells. God, he’s an idiot. One secret. That’s all he had to keep from her was one measly little secret.

“Who? With who? Harry. Ah. Oh my god. Was it a first date? It must’ve been. If you were seeing someone, I would know. What’s her name?”

Harry takes a deep breath and then gives in. He would eventually, anyway. “Louis,” he says. “His name is Louis.”

“Harry!” Gemma screeches.

Then, the line is silent for several long seconds.

He wonders if she’ll want to talk about it. Harry’s not sure what to tell her. He’s still trying to figure everything out himself.

Or maybe she’ll be mad at him. He’s heard about other people’s families being mad they weren’t told earlier.

“Well?” She presses. “Is he cute? How did you meet him? I want to know _everything_ about him _._ Harry?”

Harry laughs. Okay, then.

He spends the next two hours telling her everything he knows and also everything he wants to know about Louis Tomlinson.

~

Harry can barely manage to tie his apron straight the following morning. He does not know how to shut Gemma up once she gets going.

And, actually, once they’d started talking about him and Louis and boys, Harry’d found himself opening up in a way he never had before, not to anyone.

He’d shot her a thank you text first thing upon waking to which she’d responded with a three coffee cups and four kisses. He has the best sister.

He’s trying to straighten his nametag, when he hears, “Good morning.”

Harry’s hands drop to his sides and he beams. “Louis!”

“I’ll take a black coffee and a pumpkin spice latte,” Louis announces, eyes on the menu, fingers tapping against the counter.

“I thought you said you couldn’t have _too much_ caffeine in the morning,” Harry says, pulling off the cups.

“Write Louis on the coffee and Harry on the other.” Louis hands him his card.

“You don’t have to,” Harry says, but he’s doing exactly as Louis has asked.

Louis winks, “You’re right. I don’t. I want to.”

The next customer steps up to the register and Harry sighs, before refocusing.

“Hey, he remembered your name today,” Liam says, a few minutes later as the bells on the door jangle behind Louis.

“He had better,” Harry says. He shoots a quick smile at Liam before adding, “I mean, we are dating.”

Liam drops the rag he’s holding. “What?”

Harry taps his fingers on the counter. “Louis and I are dating.”

“You called him back, then?” Liam asks, retrieving the rag and wiping down the counter. “The other day?”

Harry nods.

“Cool,”  Liam replies, but he doesn’t sound certain.

“It _is_ cool,” Harry reassures him. “It is _very_ cool.”

**Author's Note:**

> I realized after I'd finished that some of the banter in the opening scene reads very similar to the banter in the wonderful coffee shop au [Dreaming of You](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1234030/chapters/2531575) by Velvetoscar. This was not intentional, but I thought I'd mention it mostly because if you liked this fic, you'll probably like that one better. <3
> 
> [here](http://juliusschmidt.tumblr.com/post/128470561185/a-cuppa-courage-by-juliusschmidt-for-banannahlou) is my tumblr post for this story.


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